


Side Effects

by Challenger2011



Category: Pacific Rim (2013)
Genre: Alternate Ending, Gen, Hansen Family Feels
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-08-13
Updated: 2013-08-13
Packaged: 2017-12-23 08:00:47
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 566
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/923864
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Challenger2011/pseuds/Challenger2011
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>What really happens after you spend so much time in someone else's head. Do you ever truly separate again?</p>
            </blockquote>





	Side Effects

**Author's Note:**

> Sorry for the absolutely rushed feel to this drabble. Its been a long, long time since I've written anything.

The long effects of Drifting had never really been studied before, the world never had time. 20 years ago the Kaiju had blown into the world from underneath and the Jaeger program was born. Since it was discovered that 2 pilots were needed for the Jaegers, the most kills by one team had been averaging around 5 or 6 until either the Jaeger was damaged beyond repair and the team split or the team was killed outright. 

Herc Hansen was one of the former, having multiple partners in as many Jaeger models are existed, but never a long term connection with just one pilot. Until his son Chuck blasted his way through the Jaeger Academy and into the Conn pod of Striker Eureka at his side, no partners had lasted as long. Or drifted together so many times. 6 years and 11 kills, not counting the original compatibility tests and upgrades to Striker that had required a test run, they had lived in each others minds.  


Even though their personalities still differed and sometimes clashed horribly, the last few years the two had slowly become almost inseparable. When one was around the other was never far behind, the roly poly form of Max eagerly trailing along. 

Everyone who spent any amount of time with the two Australians had noticed at one point or another. When they were tired was when it was most noticeable, early in the morning in the mess hall or late at night after meetings and training. The way they leaned into each other, shoulders of their jackets just lightly brushing. The way they walked seamlessly in step, even the pauses and the cadence matching. The way that a tired Herc would glance down the mess table at a dish just out of reach and Chuck would reach for it without looking and pass it to his father, usually with the left hand. 

_‘He was the left hand of striker after all.’_

They responded to shocks as one, heads lifting and the same shoulder jerking when one was called from across the hall, twin sounds of acknowledgement echoing back. It was creepy almost, like mirror images walking side by side through the Shatterdome.

They had noticed, but that had not known what it meant. No one truly did but them. The Drift was supposed to end with the separation of man and machine, and while residual effects alleviated by physical closeness were medically noted, even that barely lasted a few days.

Which is why, despite the heartbreaking news that had just come over the mic with Stackers words “We can clear a path...for the Lady.” Herc did nothing more than close his eyes and look down, hand reaching to gently touch the head of his son’s dog. No tears, no denials, no words of goodbye and love to his only family down on the ocean floor with his best friend about to blow themselves to Kingdom Come. 

They were unnecessary. Because as soon as the bomb went off; the horrible scream of feedback from the mic before fading to the white noise of an open channel, Hercules Hansen’s heart stopped. 

 

_Don’t know what’s going on_  
 _Don’t know what went wrong_  
 _Feels like a hundred years_  
 _I still can’t believe you’re gone_  
 _So I’ll stay up all night with these bloodshot eyes_  
 _While these walls surround me with the story of our life_


End file.
